Don't pass

On the third day of the Lunar New Year,

The sky is clear and the air is fresh, with a gentle breeze.

Taishi Zheng led Cuo Cuo, dressed in a Yaohuang jacket and a flower in her hair, looking high and proud. Zheng and Cui Zhiyun walked side by side along a path fragrant with flowers, butterflies and bees fluttering around them. Another summer had arrived.

Turning her gaze to her ideal husband beside her, Zheng started chatting, "Luckily, Yuanzi brought some braised chicken from home yesterday, otherwise I'd have forgotten to bring a portion of food for each family. It wouldn't be nice to go there empty-handed and eat other people's food for free. Besides, I've been living on a tight budget lately. Do you think we should pick up some more food on the way to see Lao Wu off? I'm afraid we won't have enough."

Cui Zhijun answered every question. He held Taishi Zheng's palm, shaking it in the warm summer breeze. "There's a place selling minced meat and Hu pancakes on Xishuimen Fish Street. If you're craving some, we can buy some while we're passing by."

"Meat pie! I love it. I want to buy it." Zheng's eyes lit up as she responded to Cui Zhijun's words.

Cui Zhijun smiled indulgently and said, "You like meat patties? Is there anything in this world that Madam doesn't like to eat?"

Zheng curled her lips when she heard this, "Cui Erlang, how dare you make fun of me! Cuo Cuo, bite him——"

The young couple chatted and laughed as they walked briskly out of the uncle's house.

Today, they would first go to Kaiyuan Gate to see Xia Laowu off, then reunite with the rest of the First Household at Jinming Lake. As for the rest of the First Household, they had already gathered at Yu Yuelan's Dongli Pavilion, preparing to head to Jinming Lake together.

-

Inside Dongli Pavilion, Yu Yuelan was now feeling proud and powerful, and in a good mood. Not only did she now find favor with Taishi Zheng, but she also became friendly with her two illegitimate daughters-in-law.

She leaned back on the couch and ordered, "Qile, go to the inner room and bring out the cherries that uncle sent yesterday."

Fu Qile turned around and went inside, but Cang Yi sat beside him holding Xiaoyu and said politely, "Mother-in-law, there's no need to bother. You can keep this valuable food and eat it."

Yu Yuelan looked at Cang Yi, still unable to change her stinky look of saying one thing and thinking another. "Tsk, you're being sentimental. Who said it was for you? Great-aunt prepared it for our Xiaoyu. The most you can do is to benefit from our Xiaoyu. Come here, little Yubao, and let Great-aunt hug you."

Xiaoyu was afraid of Yu Yuelan; she had seen her strength many times before. She subconsciously glanced at Cui Zhijian, who saw something was wrong. He reached out and touched the little girl's head, saying, "Go, Yubao. Your great-aunt is calling you."

Xiaoyu now listened to Cui Zhijian the most. Since he said so, Xiaoyu had no choice but to move closer to Yu Yuelan and gently called out, "Grandma."

Just then, Fu Qile came out with some cherries, and Yu Yuelan easily bribed Xiaoyu with a few cherries.

The grandparents and grandchildren live in harmony.

Then, when Yu Yuelan looked up at Song Mingyue again, she stared at her round belly and asked casually, "After this summer, it will be almost time for the baby to be born, wife Zhichou. Has Tao Fengqin found a midwife for you? What about the midwife? Are you ready? If not, just use the people I hired for wife Zhijun, and I'll give you an extra commission."

Yu Yuelan was speaking reasonably now.

Cui Zhichou wanted to decline the offer, but when Song Mingyue heard that it wouldn't cost her family any money, she quickly agreed, "We haven't considered these things yet. We're thinking about it after the baby is born. Grandma, you're so thoughtful. Thank you so much."

Yu Yuelan, wealthy and generous, shook her head and said, "We're all family, let's not talk about anything else. When the second branch moves out of the mansion and returns to Yongqiu today, we'll be the only ones left in the mansion. You must support each other in the future, especially when my son Zhiyun inherits the title. You should unite and not learn from the second branch's ungratefulness. Zhiyun and his wife are kind-hearted, and you won't be treated unfairly."

After a while, she was still waiting here...

Fortunately, no one present here has any ambition or ulterior motives, unlike Yu Yuelan, who knows whose nerves will be irritated by these words.

"A son will follow his mother's teachings."

"A daughter-in-law will follow her mother-in-law's instructions."

The children still gave her some face, and Yu Yuelan was very satisfied.

She thought the child raised by Tao Fengqin was quite sensible. Glancing around the pavilion, Yu Yuelan suddenly asked, "Almost everyone has arrived. Where's Tao Fengqin? She's the only one missing. Qile, didn't I send someone to inform her? Why, do I, the mistress, have to go and ask her for a concubine myself to enjoy the Jinming Lake today?"

Seeing this, Fu Qile bowed and replied: "In reply to Lady Shu, I have sent someone to the courtyard to ask, and they said..."

"What?" Yu Yuelan raised her eyebrows in displeasure.

Fu Qile replied, "The people in the courtyard said that she was of low status and unworthy of traveling with you, so they didn't come to cause trouble for you. They asked me to apologize to you. What do you think? Should I send someone over again?"

Now, all the people sitting in this room are from Tao Fengqin's family. After Fu Qile finished speaking, he quietly observed everyone's reactions.

She was afraid that with Yu Yuelan's bad temper, she would not be able to enjoy the show and would start a fight at home.

But who would have thought that Yu Yuelan would act out of character and not make a fuss. Instead, she sneered and shouted at Cui Zhijian, "Well, that Tao Fengqin. She even dares to refuse my invitation? Boss, go to the courtyard and call your useless concubine mother to me. If she doesn't come, you have to carry her here on your back. I wonder if she still has the guts to not come."

Cui Zhijian stood up in confusion and exclaimed.

Fu Qile broke into a cold sweat.

Yu Yuelan looked at his stupid look and shouted anxiously: "What are you talking about? Go——"

Fortunately, the eldest brother is stupid, but his wife is not stupid.

Cang Yi stood up from his seat, pulled Cui Zhijian and went out. After their "parents" left, the little girl didn't even eat the cherries. She threw away the cherry pits with her little hand and ran out after them, "Wait, Xiaoyu. Wait, Xiaoyu."

Upon hearing the sound, Cui Zhijian turned around, picked up Xiaoyu, and went out again.

This made Yu Yuelan shake her head and laugh. She laughed at Xiaoyu, wondering how come she had become as silly as the eldest brother and his wife.

-

Dongli Pavilion was only two steps away from the courtyard. Cui Zhijian was a man of simple and rough manners, even towards his concubine's mother. Soon, everyone saw a family of three in the pavilion, dragging Tao Fengqin along, seemingly forcibly "tying" her up.

"Da Lang, Da Lang. What are you doing? I've already told you I'm not going. I'm not going—" Tao Fengqin started yelling a few words, but when she stood in front of Yu Yuelan, she instantly became as quiet as a chicken. She didn't even dare to raise her head.

She was really afraid of Yu Yuelan.

Yu Yuelan rolled her eyes at Tao Fengqin, threw her handkerchief aside, and asked, "Are you here?"

Tao Fengqin was so frightened that she twisted her handkerchief and timidly replied, "Shu...Shu Ren."

Yu Yuelan sat up straight and looked at him with a frown.

"Are you really that scared of me? Am I that scary?"

"Before, I thought you were just trying to be nice to that old bastard, but now that I think about it, you've actually never done anything bad to me in all these years. It's true that you're not afraid of no good things, you're just afraid of no good people. It was all caused by Third Aunt and that bastard Chu Fanghua. Old Tao, you said we've been fighting for a lifetime, isn't that enough?"

As she spoke, Yu Yuelan stood in front of Tao Fengqin, but Tao Fengqin said, "I dare not, I dare not."

Tao Fengqin stubbornly believed that Yu Yuelan was taking advantage of her and was looking for trouble, so she gave in as usual. However, Yu Yuelan sincerely tried to reconcile with her. She knew that Tao Fengqin was a kind and honest person, and that her previous hostility was just a reluctance to admit.

At this point, she has come to terms with it.

I really can't argue anymore.

Look, the cat in the pavilion, who had been catching the cowardly Tao Fengqin for half his life, suddenly grabbed her arm and said with emotion: "The children are grown up, and grandchildren will be born soon. From now on, we can just enjoy the blessings of our children and grandchildren. As for that old bastard Cui Yu, let him go - come on, come on, May is a good time, and we, as elders, should not spoil the children's fun."

Yu Yuelan is open about her love and hate.

Tao Fengqin was terrified and dodged beside her, feeling very uncomfortable. "My dear lady, my dear lady, please don't do this. You are really embarrassing me. Jin Mingchi, you and the children can go. Don't let a lowly person like me..."

Before Tao Fengqin finished her words, Yu Yuelan became anxious. "Tsk, I'm telling you, you shouldn't refuse a toast and then drink a forfeit. I've said this much, do you really want me to kneel down and apologize to you? Tao Fengqin, I advise you to be sensible when I'm talking to you nicely, why don't you--"

Yu Yuelan's "threat" really worked on Tao Fengqin.

Tao Fengqin was stiff, being pulled by Yu Yuelan, and she kept saying, "I will go, I can't go yet. But please go ahead, my lady, and I will do as I please."

Yu Yuelan pursed her lips and shook her head, loosening her grip on Tao Fengqin's arm and laughing at her: "You, you're so stubborn."

Turning her head, Yu Yuelan picked up the silk fan on the table at the door and shook it in front of her. "Fu Qile, weigh the things and ask someone to prepare the car. Come on, kids, the summer scenery at Jinming Lake is just right, let's go take a look. I haven't been there for a long time either--"

Yu Yuelan waved her fan and gave the order, and everyone stood up and followed. Cui Zhijian casually picked up Xiaoyu and shouted, "Yubao, let's go."

But he seemed to underestimate the height of the two stacked together.

As they left the house, Xiaoyu cried loudly, causing everyone to look back. They saw a shallow mark on the little girl's forehead, which was perfectly aligned with the door frame. They lowered their gazes and heard the little girl cry out, "Uncle, it hurts. Xiaoyu, my forehead hurts!"

-

A small incident could not dampen everyone's joy in traveling.

Cui Zhijian followed behind the group, holding the little girl and coaxing her non-stop, but the little girl held a grudge and turned around to pull Cang Yi, no longer staying with her best uncle. Cang Yi was amused by this father and mother duo, and when she saw her reach out to take the little girl, she punched Cui Zhijian a few times on her behalf.

This made Song Mingyue, who was being held tightly by Cui Zhichou, laugh uncontrollably.

The little baby in my belly also started to move around.

The eldest wife walked out of the small garden noisily and happily, but when she reached the porch of the uncle's mansion, she ran into the second wife's family who were in a lifeless state and were about to move out of the uncle's mansion.

Two completely different things.

Yu Yuelan subconsciously clicked her tongue when she saw Chu Fanghua.

Chu Fanghua, having just recovered from her injuries, was being supported by someone, looking rather shabby. She no longer possessed her former pride and turned away, avoiding Yu Yuelan's gaze, not daring to look at her again. Meanwhile, Cui Jianchun approached from behind, carrying a bag on his back. Seeing the eldest family lower their eyes, he asked, "Auntie, Aunt Tao, cousin and his wife, Xiaoyu..."

"Are you going out?"

Yu Yuelan had no hostility towards Cui Jianchun. She responded, "Bianjing in May is a beautiful place. We are going to visit Jinming Lake. What are you doing..."

"Ready to go?"

Yu Yuelan knew that today was the last day for the Second House to leave Bianjing, so she asked this question. She had also deliberately chosen this day to go out, with the intention of venting the anger that Chu Fanghua had plotted against her for so many years.

Cui Jianchun lowered his eyes and said, "Yes, I have been bothering you for so long, it is time to go."

Yu Yuelan felt sorry for Cui Jianchun, so she kindly said, "Then we won't go far. Please take your time on the road. Sister Chun, if you encounter any difficulties in Yongqiu in the future, please write to the Bo's Mansion. As we are relatives, I will definitely help you."

Unexpectedly, Chu Fanghua got nervous again. "Yu Yuelan, stop pretending. I don't need your charity. Things have come to this. Are you successful? Are you satisfied? You must be very happy now, waiting to see me laugh. Yu Yuelan, you despicable villain."

If it were in the past, Yu Yuelan would have been furious when hearing these insults, and would have wanted to jump up and hit Chu Fanghua on the head.

But things are different now. She won't bother with this lingering villain, because there's no need. But she couldn't miss a single word of rebuttal. Yu Yuelan laughed heartily and said, "Look, this crazy woman is still so arrogant even at this time."

"Chu Fanghua, you did this by yourself, and you were the one who was greedy. What does it have to do with me? Did I ask you to do this dirty thing? You have brought shame to the Bo family, and I haven't even settled the score with you yet, but you are blaming me instead? What? Do you want to put the bad reputation on my head again? I tell you, it's impossible. Think about how to live in shame first - it's just that you two old guys are so greedy. It doesn't matter if you bring trouble upon yourselves. But it's pitiful to such a good girl."

"Tsk tsk, Chu Fanghua, Chu Fanghua. You are so unlucky."

“You—you—”

Chu Fanghua was scolded by Yu Yuelan and almost suffocated and fell on the porch.

Fu Qile and Tao Fengqin were afraid that Yu Yuelan would make a big deal out of it, so they immediately held her up, one on each side, and told her to be quiet. Seeing that things were going badly, Cui Jianchun also hurriedly dragged Chu Fanghua away from the porch and into a carriage bound for Yongqiu.

In this way, the situation was calmed down.

Looking further, I saw two carriages parked outside the porch, one to the east and the other to the west, facing each other. The places they were heading to were also dark and bright.

Yu Yuelan stood at the doorway, proudly shaking off the support of the people around her, and waved her silk fan again, saying happily: "Let's go, let's not let these filthy people ruin our mood. Good times don't wait for anyone——"

After Yu Yuelan spoke, the other people in the main house had nothing more to say and had to get on their respective carriages.

But before getting on the bus, Cui Jianchun walked to the front car where Yu Yuelan was sitting and knocked on her window. Yu Yuelan then opened the curtain and looked out, only to see Cui Jianchun giving her a bitter smile.

She didn't say a word, she just heard the girl who had shouldered so much bid her a sincere farewell at her window.

"Thank you for your care over the years, Auntie. Chun'er apologizes to you on behalf of my mother for all the mistakes she made in the past. We are parting today and I don't know when we will meet again. Chun'er wishes you good health. Auntie, we say goodbye now."

Yu Yuelan lowered her eyes and sighed. Even she, an outsider, felt sorry for Cui Jianchun.

Chu Fanghua's heart is so hard?

But she was powerless to change her fate of being born into such a complicated family. Yu Yuelan could only say: "My dear girl, I wish you a happy life. Go, you still have a long life ahead of you, don't let yourself down any longer."

"Aunt and you will say goodbye from now on."

Yu Yuelan said and silently put down the bamboo curtain, "Fu Qile, let's go——"

As Yu Yuelan spoke, the eldest wife's convoy slowly advanced. Cui Jianchun gazed at the carriages going in the opposite direction of her own, pondering Yu Yuelan's words. As she pondered, she unconsciously looked up in the direction of the gate. It was the exact opposite direction of the road home. Yet, it was so bright and full of hope.

The heavy bag, carrying a sorrowful past, crushed all her dreams. The only strength that kept her going was the journey to a far, far place.

Foolish brother,

When we meet again, will you still be there?

Cui Jianchun fell into doubt.

Walking to Chu Fanghua's carriage, Cui Jianchun heard the filthy words and seemed to have made up his mind.

She was halfway on the carriage, lifting the bamboo curtain, ignoring Chu Fanghua's scolding.

For the first and last time, he expressed it to his mother: "Mother, that day in court, I said that after those forty blows, we no longer owe each other anything. Since that's the case, where I go, what kind of life I lead, whether I live or die, it has nothing to do with you anymore. I've figured it out, I've seen clearly that following you back to Yongqiu will only imprison us for the rest of our lives. When you see me, you'll only remember your past failures. You won't forgive me, and I won't understand you. Instead of torturing each other like this, why don't we let go together and make things easier for each other?"

"So, mother, I'm leaving."

"Please forgive my daughter for being unfilial, and I hope you can let it go. Otherwise, you will never have peace for the rest of your life."

Cui Jianchun's words were full of determination. After experiencing that incident, she never dared to think about it too much. She was afraid to think about what would have happened if Chu Fanghua and Liu Yugeng had succeeded without Tai Shi Zheng's help and Bao Nian's courage.

It would be a horrible life, drained of blood and flesh.

Fortunately, morality still exists.

They united together and swept away the darkness.

Meanwhile, Chu Fanghua sat in the dark carriage, curled up in a corner. She stopped talking.

Cui Jianchun reluctantly lowered the bamboo curtain, separating him and her from each other in a dark and distinct space. Cui Jianchun blurred the figure behind the curtain, muttered a final goodbye, and then, without looking back, ran towards Kaiyuan Gate. She thought, perhaps it wasn't too late.

After this departure, Cui Jianchun never looked back.

At that moment, Qi Yijun sat in the middle of a carriage parked at a street corner not far away, her brows lowered. Wind chimes hung on the delicate eaves of the carriage, ringing repeatedly in the wind. Suddenly, she spoke, still as proud as ever.

"See?"

"Yeah." Cui Zhilin responded.

Qi Yijun smoothed the hem of her luxurious skirt, the golden hairpin in her hair gleaming faintly. She, just like before, allowed Cui Zhilin to make a choice, but unlike before, she was much calmer this time.

Qi Yijun said, "If you want to go with them to Yongqiu to fulfill your filial duties, I won't stop you. But as we agreed before we left, this child in my belly will no longer have anything to do with you. But Cui Zhilin, I want you to understand that this is not a threat, and there is no need for me to use the child to keep you, because it would be meaningless to me. I can live well without you."

"Answer me, what do you want to do?"

After several months, Cui Zhilin has changed a lot.

After he left home and Chu Fanghua, he felt a respect he had never felt before. This respect made him start to change and began to think about whether it was a mistake to blindly favor his parents and the "weak" in the future.

Cui Zhilin looked at Qi Yijun and shook her hand sincerely.

He said, "I won't go to Yongqiu with them. They may have been wrong before, but this time, regarding Chun'er, they were truly wrong. They have no one else to blame for ending up like this. However, back then, I was obsessed and didn't know right from wrong. I admit my mistake to you."

"But Yijun, can't you really forgive me? Are we going to keep going on like this?"

Cui Zhilin's answer softened Qi Yijun's heart.

But she would not easily forget the past, so she pulled her hand away from Cui Zhilin's hand at this moment, and deep love still remained under her calm eyes.

But Qi Yijun did not give in. She avoided his questions and just said, "You made the wrong choice that time, but since you have made a new choice now, Uncle He, let's go home." Then she fell silent.

The carriage rocked,

Cui Zhilin's eyes were silent, and he withdrew his empty palm dejectedly.

From then on, he understood from Qi Yijun's attitude that he had a long life ahead of him and still had a lot to make up for...

-

Outside Kaiyuan Gate, the corridor was blocked by people who came to see them off.

But even after everyone returned to their teams, Xia Buyu was still uneasy. Even though Tai Shi Zheng, He Qi Jiami and the others chattered endlessly in front of him, he just stared at the direction of the door without saying a word.

In the end, Qi Jiami couldn't bear it anymore and raised her hand to hit Xia Buyu on the head.

Qi Jiami opened her mouth and cursed: "Xia Laowu, what are you looking at? You have been like this since we stood here. Did you listen carefully to what we told you? Zheng is pregnant, and Yi Jie'er is getting married soon. We are all here to see you off. Can you please respect us a little? Looking at you like that, someone who doesn't know you would think you have lost your soul——"

Zheng sneered when she heard this, "Maybe he really has lost his soul?"

Xia Buyu scratched his head. Today, he didn't get angry with Qi Jiami. He just asked, "Zheng, do you think she will come to see me off?"

She? Who?

Qi Jiami and Yi Zishi looked at each other in surprise.

Xia Buyu hated himself for realizing it so late. He hadn't reacted to the promise he'd made that day at the street corner. He'd thought it was just a promise to a friend. It wasn't until later, after the disaster in Kaifeng Prefecture had resolved, that he gradually realized he'd occasionally recalled that ridiculous encounter with Cui Jianchun under the Ministry of Rites list.

He cares and is worried.

It's just too late.

Zheng was also at a loss. "It's hard to say. You know she has a lot of things to do today."

Xia Buyu understood and comprehended it, but still felt a little lost.

At that moment, the horn sounded, signaling the return of the troops. Xia Buyu no longer had the chance to say a regretful goodbye to those who had never arrived. Donning his mighty armor, his mission began. Xia Buyu figured regrets were common; it would be better to win a battle and return home sooner.

By then, they will not be as passive as they are now.

Xia Buyu raised his spear, adjusted the iron helmet on his head, regained his confidence, and said goodbye to his childhood playmates: "Zheng, Shiyi Niang, Sister Yi... Lao Wu is leaving now, take care of yourselves. Don't worry about me, and be sure to hope for my best. When I return triumphant, you must set a table for me at Baifan Tower for wine."

"Don't worry, Lao Wu, you're a good guy." Yi Zishi sighed softly. Qi Jiami, who had been at odds with Lao Wu for over a decade, secretly wiped away tears, "Stinky boy, I don't expect you to show off much, but you must come back alive."

Zheng waved her sleeves and said, "When you leave, remember to give the letter I gave you to Big Brother. Remember!"

"I know, I know. Let's go back."

Xia Buyu was comforted by the care of his close friends. He set out on the long road to the frontier with full confidence. He did not stop looking at his hometown and old friends until his figure was completely hidden in the dust raised by the soldiers.

He thought he would return victorious.

He thought he would see the girl he had been thinking about again.

Zheng and Qi Jiami watched the marching troops go away side by side, no one saying anything more. Everyone was silent, but when they turned around, Qi Jiami was about to ask about the person Xia Buyu mentioned, a figure as swift and shining as a meteor flashed through Zheng's eyes.

Cui Zhijun, who was not far away, also saw her.

Although the couple was some distance apart, they still said in tacit understanding: "Chun'er..."

Cui Jianchun ran past Kaiyuan Gate with his mind focused, sprinting towards the fields where he could gaze. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Foolish brother—the promise you made is too long. I can't wait any longer. Take me away, please?"

But the sound of galloping horses seemed to drown out her voice, and in the end, she could only choke back her words: "Don't leave me alone..."

Cui Jianchun's eyes were red from the wind and sand, and she was panting in the open field.

I have no strength left.

However, when she was feeling lost, the spear in Xia Buyu's hand was inexplicably knocked down in the middle of the team. The footsteps that never stopped pushed the distance between him and the landing spear further and further.

It wasn't until, left alone at the end of the team, that Xia Buyu picked up his spear in the empty space, that he vaguely met the eyes of the girl standing in the field behind him. Xia Buyu muttered in disbelief, "Chun'er..."

Cui Jianchun, however, was looking at the person he was destined to meet, with tears in his eyes.

She said, "Brother Yu...don't leave me."